McCann Bolsters Its GM Bench

In an effort to strengthen its hand with the General Motors’ Buick account, McCann-Erickson will take control of Jay Advertising, said Garry Neel, managing director of McCann-Erickson Detroit.

Jay, Rochester, N.Y., has for five years operated independently under the ownership of the Interpublic Group of Companies, McCann’s parent organization. Under the new structure, the principals of Jay will report in to Neel and McCann Detroit creative director Dave Moore. “Jay is now a wholly owned division of McCann-Erickson Detroit,” Neel said.

Jay was one of many agencies that lost out when GM decided two years ago to scrap its dealer marketing group agency network and place that business with its main brand agencies.